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'I'm old. And if you die, you die. We all will eventually,' diner regular says

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Cody Pope, of Nashville, browses through DVDs at McKay's Used Books in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Server Monique Thomas bring breakfast to longtime customer Chuck Carter at Athens Family Restaurant Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Matt Stoneman, of Nashville, enjoys a meal with his son Wesley, 2, at Sunflower Cafe in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Server Tabitha Williams prepares an order for a customer at Sunflower Cafe in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Bill Swinehart, of Lebanon, Tenn., shots for books at McKay's Used Books in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Joey Elkins and Ricky Anderson eat lunch at Arnold’s Country Kitchen Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Server Tabitha Williams rings up a customer’s order at Sunflower Cafe in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Owner Rose Arnold puts up signs required by the health department on the door at Arnold’s Country Kitchen Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Patrons dine on the roof of Tootsies Orchid Lounge on Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Customers get their food at Arnold's on Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays/The Tennessean

Tables have been organized to meet social distancing guidelines at Arnold’s Country Kitchen Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Customers shot at McKay's Used Books in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Athens Family Restaurant owner Mohammed Rasras passes out gloves to server Monique Thomas Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn., on the first day of re-opening Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Corey Wise, of Nashville, browses through records at McKay's Used Books in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Customers get their food at Arnold’s Country Kitchen Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Owner Rose Arnold puts up signs required by the health department on the door at Arnold’s Country Kitchen Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Server Monique Thomas cleans the door at Athens Family Restaurant Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Longtime customer Chuck Carter orders breakfast from server Monique Thomas Monday, May 11, 2020, at Athens Family Restaurant in Nashville, Tenn. Carter was the first customer at the restaurant on re-opening day. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Customers shot at McKay's Used Books in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Pedestrians walk along Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Customers shot at McKay's Used Books in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

A sign outside of Kid Rock's Big Honky Tonk and Steakhouse on Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Markers keep patrons six feet apart while waiting in line at Peg Leg Porker BBQ in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

A sign outside Party Fowl Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions. Brad Schmitt / The Tennessean

Signs mark tables not open at Peg Leg Porker BBQ in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, May 11, 2020. Many businesses in Nashville reopened Monday under Phase One of the city's reopening plan. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Here are some stories from the first Nashville restaurants and shops to open Monday after the city shut them down in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus

Here are some stories from Nashville restaurants and shops on the first day they could reopen after being closed for nearly two months to slow the spread of coronavirus:

Retiree Chuck Carter, 83, smiled behind his purple-and-brown cloth mask as he climbed down from his white GMC truck to have breakfast Monday morning at his favorite neighborhood spot.

"I told my wife, 'I’m going out to eat some grits,' and she said, 'Well, I’ll make you some grits,' " Carter said after settling into a booth at Athens Family Restaurant in the Melrose section of Nashville.

"I told her, 'Nah, I’m gonna head out.' I've been coming here for years and they have a really good breakfast.' "

Carter took off his mask just a few minutes after sitting down and placing his order: "I don't like this thing."

Longtime customer Chuck Carter orders breakfast from server Monique Thomas Monday, May 11, 2020, at Athens Family Restaurant in Nashville, Tenn. Carter was the first customer at the restaurant on re-opening day. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, including no in-person dining at restaurants. Mayor John Cooper is allowing them to open in the first phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions.(Photo: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

He said he had "not a bit" of hesitation about eating at Athens during a pandemic.

"I’m old," he said, "and if you die, you die. We all will eventually." Monday is the first day Nashville allowed restaurants to reopen at 50% capacity after they were shut down in mid-March.

While many restaurants will remain closed, delivery and take-out remain available at many others.

— Brad Schmitt, staff writer

No mask, no service at Serendipity

On the first day Julie Lutz was allowed to welcome customers back into her 12th Avenue South boutique, Serendipity, she also had to turn one away.

Lutz decided that Serendipity will require its customers to wear a mask inside the store for the health and safety of the shop's employees and other customers. Nashville Mayor John Cooper's guidelines do not require customers to wear masks, though it is strongly encouraged.

"You hate to turn somebody away, but you have to establish a strong guideline," Lutz said.

Social distancing guidelines are on the floor at Peg Leg Porker Monday, May 11, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Nonessential businesses have been closed for seven weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.(Photo: Brad Schmitt / Tennessean)

Serendipity will provide free disposable masks to customers who do not already have one starting Wednesday. The shop simply didn't have enough time to stock up on the masks in the few days since Cooper announced Nashville's retail stores could reopen Monday with limited capacity and specific precautions.

A handful of customers came into the store in their first few hours of operation, but Lutz said she thinks more will come in after they are able to offer masks Wednesday. She and her staff watched a few potential customers, not wearing masks, read the signs on the boutique's door about mask requirements and turn away.

The woman who Lutz asked to leave was kind and understanding, she said, and she hopes she will return with the proper protective gear.

"We want them to come in in a big way," Lutz said.

— Cassandra Stephenson, staff writer

Mother's Day is family work day at Arnold's meat-and-three

Kahlil Arnold and his mother, Rose Arnold, owner-operator of Arnold's Country Kitchen, pose together on Monday, the first day the restaurant's dining room has been open to the public since the city shut down most Nashville businesses in March to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus(Photo: Brad Schmitt / Tennessean)

Her phone started ringing Friday — Ma, her kids asked, what do you want to do Sunday for Mother's Day?

Rose Arnold, matriarch of famed Nashville meat-and-three Arnold's Country Kitchen, told each of her five grown children the same thing — help me get the restaurant ready to open Monday.

"I had all the free labor I needed!" Arnold gushed.

In addition to celebrating Mom, her children made signs, put blue tape six feet apart on the floor, took all shared condiments off the tables and cleaned everything. Arnold even took the flowers she got for Mother's Day and used them as decorations around the restaurants.

Her son Kahlil, owner-manager, said it all worked out perfectly.

"The family that works together, stays together," he said, laughing, "or kills each other."

— Brad Schmitt, staff writer

Pre-surgery celebration at Pancake Pantry

Tuesday, Marsha Bradford will give her kidney to her daughter Brittany Bradford, if everything goes to plan. Monday, they celebrated the upcoming operation with lunch at one of their favorite restaurants, Pancake Pantry in Hillsboro Village.

Exterior of the Pancake Pantry Monday, October 15, 2018.(Photo: Alan Poizner / For The Tennessean)

The virus put Brittany Bradford's transplant on hold. It was postponed once in February due to scheduling issues and again in March when the state stopped all elective procedures due to COVID-19 concerns. She's been on dialysis since April 2019.

"We're out enjoying the nice day," Marsha Bradford, who wore an American flag-printed mask, said. "...We're enjoying a meal together."

Marsha Bradford said she doesn't have concerns about restaurants re-opening. She carries hand sanitizer and washes her hands religiously.

"I just think if you pay attention to what you're doing and you're careful, I don't see any issues with it," she said.